Taun. cndva . A ov 


= Anne 


AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSION- 
ARY UNION, BOSTON, MASS. 


THE FIRST CONVERT 
IN THE CHIN HILLS 


Ta conference held in San Diego, 
Cal., in connection with one of 


the visits of the Home Secretary 
of the Missionary Union to the Pacific 
Coast, an aged gentleman, born in Eng- 


land, related the following incident: - 


‘¢T remember well the tradition in my 
father’s family of the day when his 


father rushed home almost breathless — 


from his little shop, and burst into 
the room where my grandmother was 
at work, exclaiming: ‘Oh, mother, 
mother, there has been a convert!’’ 
The reference was to the conversion 
of Krishna Pal, the first Hindu to accept 
Christianity under the labors of Carey, 
Marshman and Ward. 

It had been stoutly insisted by the 
opponents of missions in England that 
the Hindus could never be reached by 
the gospel; and so when the news came 


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that one man, and he a Brahman, had 
been won to Christ, its influence was 
magnetic in reviving the confidence of 
those whose faith had been put to a se- 
vere test while awaiting the manifesta- 
tion of the power of the gospel to save 
even those seemingly beyond hope. 
Krishna Pal had become a Christian! 
Afterwards he wrote the beautiful hymn 
which has cheered myriads of hearts, 
not only in India but throughout Chris- 
tendom : 


O thou my soul, forget no more 

The Friend who all thy sorrows bore; 
Let every idol be forgot, 

But, O, my soul, forget Him not! 


In India today there are more than a 
million disciples of Christ, and many 
millions more have been under Chris- 
tian teaching. Now the joyful news is 
received of 


THE FIRST CONVERT 
IN. THE -GHIN=HETS 


The tidings came from Rey. E. H 
East, M.D., whose recént visit to this 


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country and whose thrilling addresses 
are so pleasantly remembered by those 
who heard him. Dr. East is laboring 
among the Chin people in Haka, Bur- 
ma, where he went in 1go1 to join Rev. 
A. E. Carson, who opened the work two 


_years before. The people are among 


the wildest of the mountain tribes of 
Burma, and have been very difficult to 


-reach. At first they seemed to have 


scarcely any ideas of Deity at all, but 
they are beginning to respond to the 
gospel and are awaking out of their 
long sleep of heathenism. The follow- 
ing is Dr. East’s letter referring to the 
conversion of the native Chin: 


Haka, Aug. 6, 1904. 

Dear FriEenpDs :—This letter is dated 
August sixth, for that is when the mail 
starts from Haka; but I begin writing 
early Monday morning, the first, as my - 
heart is too full, and I must let you 
know. I will. give youa true copy of 
my last letter from Koset, one of our 
preaching stations, and you can judge 
for yourself as to the matter. This let- 


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ter is from Saya Shwe Zan, whom I 
placed in charge of the mission in Koset 
village when I opened that work April 
first. I give it word for word so that 
you may get the benefit of his letter. 


July 25, 1904, KoseT VILLAGE. 


Srr :—Your letter came to me and tell 
about the school which you spoke with 
Mr. Fowler. We little three here 
(meaning his family) were very glad. 
The time when we arrived here in Koset 
till this time, we try as well as we can 
for preaching, so that one man name 
Paung Shwin, his among three chiefs 
which you had been seeing, he believes 
Jesus can save him from his sin into 
life. He gave up all the bad things and 
come to us for worship God together 
every time with his wife and mother. 
He’s very earnest in preach to other. 
Some men spoke to him and make him 
afraid, but he do not care what was the 
people said to him. As he knew more 
about Christ he preach more and more 
to other people. The time when you 
come to Koset he will (be) Baptist at 
once. As well as my master can, come 
soon. 


~ ——  —or-- 


ag rg 


a 


by 


a chief among the three chiefs. 


Now we little here glad every time to 
preach. We hope our master and mam- 
ma and Sya San Win and his wife will 
glad with us in prayer. I cannot write 


- English well; if I can write you will 


glad more than this. 

One man name’s Tum Harm; he is 
Now 
he begin to believe Jesus. This night 
he come up to me for prayer God. 
Dear master, please remember for Tum 
Harm in your prayer. O my dear mas- 
ter if you arrive here this time, how you 
will be very glad for Christ. 

As to school the people begin to build 
the school now. ‘They got some post ~ 
to the school place; in a few days I 
think school will finish. Some time I 
wrote about to stop school until the 
school (house) finish, and you tell I 
must stop; but I think in my heart it is 
better to learn every day so that I have 
school in my house. 
~ Remember Paung Shwin and _ his 
household your prayer. As well as I 


_ canl try in write English. Please know 


what I meanas well as you can. 
Your obedient servant, 
SHWE ZAN, 


8. 1 Ed..10M.-11-4. Sample copies free; 25 eents per hundred. 
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